Mnangagwa on the ropes

HARARE - After a week in which the political pendulum briefly appeared to swing in favour of the Zanu PF faction rallying behind embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, things are once again looking ominous for Team Lacoste, as the ruling party’s politburo meets in Harare today.

In fact so confident of Team Lacoste’s pending annihilation yesterday was a politburo member widely seen as opposed to Mnangagwa, that he told the Daily News that the VP’s camp was “toast”.

“Listen, it’s all over for the successionists (Mnangagwa and his allies). They are toast. This is why State media is desperately trying to crank up its propaganda in favour of the dispirited successionists. But all this is too little too late,” the senior Zanu PF official said.

Analysts who spoke to the Daily News yesterday also said the tide had taken a sudden turn for the worse for the Mnangagwa faction over the past two days, following a week in which Team Lacoste had appeared to have wrestled the initiative from its opponents, the Generation 40 group.

State media, now said to be in the firm clutches of the Mnangagwa camp, reported yesterday that Zanu PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, and members of the party’s women’s league, were allegedly organising a massive demonstration in Harare today — against Mnangagwa, War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa and Information permanent secretary George Charamba — ahead of the keenly-watched politburo meeting which is expected to ignite fireworks.

Zanu PF Harare political commissar Shadreck Mashayamombe confirmed to the Daily News last night that the “pro-Mugabe” demo would go ahead as planned, and that more than 15 000 supporters from around the country would take part in it.

It is also reliably understood that despite efforts by the Mnangagwa camp to stop the demo, President Robert Mugabe had apparently given it his blessing — a big blow and ominous statement to Team Lacoste.

On his part, Kasukuwere had said the demonstration would be for the purpose of thanking Mugabe “for what he has done for the nation and also his successful tour of the AU (African Union)”.

At the same time, the Zanu PF women’s league, which is agitating for Mugabe to appoint a woman as one of his two deputies before the end of this year — in a move that could put paid to Mnangagwa’s mooted presidential aspirations — has challenged the VP to “come out clean” about his ambitions, pointing out that “too many dubious people” were going about campaigning for him openly while the VP had not made his position on the matter clear.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily News on Monday, the league’s forthright national secretary for finance, Sarah Mahoka, also said Mnangagwa’s failure to disassociate himself from the repeated claims that he wanted Mugabe to step down ahead of the 2018 national elections gave the impression that those campaigning for him had his blessings.

“He (Mnangagwa) should just state his interests like what others who have been accused of the same mooted ambitions, including the First Lady (Grace Mugabe) and VP (Phelekezela) Mphoko have done, in the interests of the party.

“Why is he quiet about it and why is he seemingly hiding behind others? Does this mean that what we hear that he wants VaMugabe to go is true? Why is he not denying that if this is not true?” Mahoka asked.

She said even Kasukuwere, who had also previously been accused of seeking to stampede Mugabe out of power, had moved to clear his name by unequivocally denying the claim in public.

Mahoka added that it was “instructive” that the media had dropped Mphoko’s, Grace’s and Kasukuwere’s names as possible successors to Mugabe since the trio denied in public that they harboured presidential ambitions — at a time that Mnangagwa’s supporters were openly showing their factional colours by coming up with regalia inscribed “Team Lacoste”.

She also repeated the refrain that has been repeatedly made by the Generation 40 group, which is rabidly opposed to Mnangagwa, that since Mujuru’s ouster from the ruling party on untested allegations of plotting to remove Mugabe from power and assassinate the nonagenarian, only one faction aligned to the VP remained in Zanu PF.

“Everyone knows that in the beginning there were two factions, which you the media even wrote about. One was led by Mujuru and was in contestation for power with another one which was said to be led by the VP. And now that Mujuru is gone, only one faction is left.

“Those who talk about another faction called the G40 should help us to identify who is behind it, where it operates from and how it recruits its members. In short, as the women’s league, we want to know what sort of an animal this G40 is.

“Otherwise for us, we have only heard about one faction causing problems in the party because they want our president out,” Mahoka said.

And as if this was not enough, Indigenisation minister Patrick Zhuwao moved to refute claims by Mutsvangwa that the two had agreed to differ on their divergent political positions — revealing further that he wanted the war veterans’ leader to be purged from the ruling party.

“I wish to correct an impression created by Chris Mutsvangwa wherein he indicated he has a modus vivendi with Kasukuwere and Zhuwao. I wish to state that I have not agreed to disagree with Chris Mutsvangwa, especially in light of his stated cordial relations with the EU, which has imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe and still maintains them.”

“I can never reach accommodation with those that hob-nob with such retrogressive forces who have a proven track record of consistently attempting to effect regime change in Zimbabwe and thus undermining sovereignty of this nation,” Zhuwao said as pressure mounts on Team Lacoste.

Meanwhile, the presentation by the Zanu PF resolutions committee chairperson, Patrick Chinamasa, at today’s politburo meeting on the resolutions passed at the party’s Victoria Falls conference last December, will be keenly followed — particularly with regards to the demand by the women’s league that one of their own be elevated to the party’s presidium.

Mahoka, told the Daily News yesterday that they expected the party to “readily adopt” the resolution.

“Chatiri kunyanya kutarisa ndechekuti chef (Mugabe) vachitipa chinhu chedu sezvo takawirirana kuti vanotipa muna 2016 muno (What we are expecting is for the president to appoint a woman VP this year as per our resolution).

“We do not expect to encounter any obstacles because this came from the 10 provinces and this was backed by everyone including men. You all saw the dancing and celebrations when the resolution was announced at the conference,” Mahoka said.

Chipping in, and speaking in her capacity as the chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Goromonzi West MP Beata Nyamupinga said women were hoping that the politburo would take their resolutions seriously.

“To us it should be a done deal. We expect the party’s one centre of power to act decisively on this one so that it is settled once and for all because this is February already and we have since lost a month in 2016.

“We said we want that implemented this year (the women’s quota system) and we still hope that anytime this year we will have a woman vice president.

“The outcome of the politburo meeting will tell us whether women issues are being taken seriously by the leadership,” Nyamupinga said.

Comments (29)

we await, with bated breath, the outcome of today's politiburo......meanwhile,the ill fated demo against party bigwigs has flopped,leaving g40 and its handlers with egg on the face!!

chipamutoro - 10 February 2016

What a shame! I am now very embarrased to be a Zimbabwean. To think we are one of the most educated in the world but indulging in such childishness is beyond comprehension. We love you Mugabe, but for God's sake you are too old, please get some rest, please please!

Billy Pule - 10 February 2016

Its pathetic and it goes on to show how foolish some ZANU PF supporters can be. How can people demonstrate in support of a seating president. The same seating president allow such and event. In my opinion its not different with some one who because of desperation will hire a crowd to cheer him. Or put fish in a dish and start fishing and call friends to cheer you. Thus how pathetic and in fact Mugabe and his ZANU PF boot licking are now psychopathic patience

amina - 10 February 2016

ha ha one of the most educated in the world? really? You have to pity people that buy into this zanu propaganda. There is no evidence of that Zimbabweans are among the most educated, how do you come to that conclusion? By the way literacy is a very big spectrum, I think you will find the ability to read and write your name does not make one educated.

Galore 123 - 10 February 2016

Wht I see is zanu puting a struggle to free itself frm 1st family.this is the tyme for team lacoste to go for broke.mugabe will nt treat ngwena like he did mujuru.he can see behind ngwena r party schemers who r looking beyond him.those r the dangerouse to his co ti ued rule.they can push ngwena to act.I think for nw mugabe s devide n rule has come to an end.viola summed it up,all previous zanu leaders wr pushed to cme in,including mugabe himself. Ngwena has the uperhand of big suport in zanu,warvets,military,youth league ,n most senior zanu members.moyo n kasukuwere r just being used by 1st family to checkmate ngwena ,now that mujuru is gone.

sleek - 10 February 2016

Sleek yu read well.I agree wth yu .

krues - 10 February 2016

Wht remains to be seen is will the country wthstant this war.until resently mnangagwa was holding fort on government management and in parliament.he may also abandone that to pursue his ambition or to push himself.chinamasa hs been absent on the political frnt running country finance.he now has to deal wth zanu resolutions.its free for all.

gidza - 10 February 2016

Its a hard rock for mugabe.he wants to continue being president wth mnangagwa as his prime minister,bt he is short on tyme.mnangagwa needs to move up or else smeone else will.thr r gutsy pple out thr.

mangosuthu - 10 February 2016

First they target Mai Mujuru and her Gamatox team accusing them of conspiring to oust the President, secretly conniving with foreign intelligence agencies, even going so far as to name one Eric Little of the US Embassy as being involved and huge corruption, all extremely serious charges? Yet to this very day not one of them has been formally investigated or charged for committing these extremely serious crimes against the State? On the other hand a Priest voicing opposition to Mugabe rule is immediately thrown inside Prison, same with protesters merely carrying placards denouncing Bob? Anyone with any sense will quickly realize that something very fishy is going on. By now we all know that anyone genuinely opposed to President Mugabe is eliminated. Itai Dzamara, Solomon Mujuru, Josiah Tongagara being prime examples. Let us not be fooled by what is going on. It is nothing but a show designed to confuse us.

Mbewa - 10 February 2016

I said it before, Mugabe does not act on anything that he is benefiting. G40 rumbling inns is perfect for Bob. Ngwena on the other hand can only watch and wait . He is not a fighter like what Tekere used to do. His did a lot of dirty work for Mugabe and any wrong move Mugabe will unleash hell on him. Prof Moyo is safe as long as Mugabe is still at the helm. Those war vets failed to read the whole game. The real check mate will come soon after the results of 2018 national elections.

Bewarned - 10 February 2016

I don't think Mai Mahoka vane chikoro. She does not see how she was used by people afraid of Ngwena. Ngwena is not obliged to put I his cards on the table as he is in fact the power behind the Old Man. Why do I feel that the Old Man will pass the button to Ngwena and elevate his wife to the VP Position. Thus he will be able to ensure the safety of his family and wealth. Demoting Ngwena is unthinkable as it will spark war not only inside Zimbabwe but also involving the Diaspora who want to see progress in Zimbabwe. those who think Ngwena should speak out do not know the makings of ZANU. ZANU ndeye ropa Baba, ZANU ndeye ropa ramadzibaba!!!

Ingram Washanda - 10 February 2016

There is nothing Ngwena about Ngwena after all. He is just another yellow liver. Indoda enga ngaye eyesaba ixhegu elile 92 years. He is a joke. He is shaking in his pants right now and can not stand up against his old chef. Proof? Just check his deafening silence in all this brouhaha while umzukulu Zhuwawo or is it Joao ishaving a field day.

Mabhengeza - 10 February 2016

Zanu pf has been this chaotic from 1963. For the first time it has been put under hawk eye scrutiny, hence so many issues regarding its management is being unearthed. The end of a mafia life span has arrived. In zanu pf if you dont eat the next person you will be chewed up.

X-MAN IV - 10 February 2016

We saw it coming now a put down of poor Munangagwa is looming and what a time for zimbos lets keep our fingers crossed .

Diibulaanyika - 10 February 2016

Chickens are queuing in line. Shame Zimbabwe and its Zimbabwean and their so called education and yet being oppressed by a single frail old man. Shame for shoo.Big up Juju

Only when people cease judging other people according to colour, tribe, religion, class or religion will harmony exist. ZANU PF tends to promote racism by always pointing at us white Rhodesians as if we are the one and only problem to all this country's woes. There is not much that I will ever credit Mugabe for but the one and only thing he has managed to achieve is bringing white and black closer together again like never before. I have so many genuine black friends today more so than what I ever had before. Thank you Robert Mugabe because you have healed a rift.

White Colonial Boy - 10 February 2016

Viola where are you tipe ka yeku politburo kwaka mira sei

Tipire - 10 February 2016

Me I want viola for vp.qouta is dne.viola ma 1.mahure or is it mahoka,fudge off.shut the front door n fudge off.

lodza - 10 February 2016

Me t hink mugabe n gra e r now majerasi on ngwena.the suport ngwena is geting is mo than mugabe.grace dont like that

sidy - 10 February 2016

If I wr g40 I wuld go for viola,finnish her off.stop her frm talking.

bantu - 10 February 2016

People need to see Prof Moyo's strategy in this so-called successionists ploy. First he appeared to support Mai Mugabe to get Mai Mujuru out of the way, ostensibly for the benefit of ED. With Mai Mururu out, the prof now has all his professorial arsenal on ED, to make sure he can successfully challenge for leadership of the party. In the meantime, he claims he's doing all this in support of RGM. We wait to see.

May I suggest the comment form be on top before the comments. That way readers do not have to scroll through all comments to post. Keep up the good work.

The Rock - 11 February 2016

moyo is very poisonous. he is the snake behind all this friction in zanu. we pray to God that he lives longer to the demise of this evil called Mugabe and zanu

francis - 11 February 2016

moyo is very poisonous. he is the snake behind all this friction in zanu. we pray to God that he lives longer to the demise of this evil called Mugabe and zanu

francis - 11 February 2016

proffessor is a sick man. viva lacoste. ma tshirts tatonawo

Faustina guduza - 15 February 2016

Post a comment

Readers are kindly requested to refrain from using abusive,
vulgar, racist, tribalistic, sexist, discriminatory and hurtful
language when posting their comments on the Daily News website.
Those who transgress this civilised etiquette will be barred from
contributing to our online discussions.- Editor